Dodgers call up Zach McKinstry with Mookie Betts on the injured list

The Dodgers, as expected, placed Mookie Betts on the injured list Sunday with a right rib fracture, suffered in an outfield collision on Wednesday against the Angels. Getting the call-up from Triple-A Oklahoma City is utility man Zach McKinstry.

This is technically McKinstry’s fifth stint in the majors this season, though one of those up-and-downs was more technical than anything, optioned on April 24 only to be recalled before that game when David Price was placed on the COVID-related injured list.

In his time with the Dodgers this year, McKinstry is 1-for-5 in four games. He homered in his one start, on June 3 against the Mets.

In 46 games with Oklahoma City, McKinstry hit .328/.414/.465, a 124 wRC+ with eight doubles, four triples, and three home runs and 35 runs scored.

McKinstry has played mostly shortstop in Triple-A this season, though in his last five games at Reno started at a different position in each game: center field, left field, shortstop, third base, and second base. Last year in the majors, McKinstry started games at second base, third base, left field, and right field.

He’s not starting on Sunday. Eddy Alvarez gets the call in right field in the series finale. He bats eighth, just one spot behind Justin Turner, the designated hitter in this one batting seventh, the lowest Turner has been in the batting order since starting 29 times there in 2014, his first year with the Dodgers. Turner also started three times batting eighth that year.